News
0Chair of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) Nick Kaye has said that he “definitely wouldn't be thinking about a U-turn” on collective action, amid “real anger” over a lack of April cash.
1The pharmacy hypertension service specification is set to be updated to exclude patients who request “frequent measurement of their blood pressure”.
0CPE is recruiting a new independent chair to “provide strategic leadership” – the position pays £50k a year and only requires a “time commitment” of 3-4 working days per calendar month.
0The pharmacy negotiator estimates some £296m of remaining primary care recovery plan funding “will have been used by NHS England (NHSE) in other ways”, C+D has learned.
1Only 9,999 bricks-and-mortar pharmacies remained in England at the end of March, NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) data has revealed.
0NHS England (NHSE) has suggested that community pharmacies should offer HPV vaccinations to “raise awareness” and increase uptake of the jab.
0Find out everything you need to know about the government’s plans for community pharmacy – as outlined in this week’s long-awaited pharmacy funding deal.
0The new pharmacy contract has expanded who can deliver the smoking cessation service, as well as adding the provision of two drugs via PGDs.
5Following this week’s announcement of the long-awaited pharmacy funding deal, C+D has learned that contractors have already received the additional £106 million in retrospective funding for 2024/25.
0The government has announced an expansion to and fresh payment structure for the new medicine service (NMS) to “boost mental health support in the community”.
0The government has announced that the pharmacy quality scheme (PQS) will be “reinstated” in 2025/26 as part of the new funding deal but is “smaller than usual”.
5The new pharmacy funding deal has revealed incoming changes to the medicines margin, including plans for an “early entry” Category M process.
1The government has announced that pharmacies in England will be able to undergo an “application process” to change the days and times of their core opening hours to “better serve their patients”.
1Rules that would have required pharmacies to provide three services in order to qualify for a fixed monthly payment have been delayed by two months.
3Changes to the Pharmacy First service are set to come into force from June, while increased fees will be paid from today, as part of the new pharmacy contract.
2Reaction to the funding contract from pharmacy groups has been mixed, from demands for the CPE executive team to “immediately resign" to describing it as a “vital lifeline”.
5Details of the long-awaited pharmacy contract deal have revealed single activity fee uplifts, a one-off £193 million historic margin write-off and plans “to redesign the whole payment timetable”.
4Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has said that it “reluctantly accepted the final offer” of the long-awaited pharmacy funding deal, stressing that it is “not enough” to stabilise the sector.
1The NPA has said that it will “consult” its members on whether collective action will go ahead from tomorrow following the government’s announcement of a £3 billion funding deal for 2025/26.
3C+D rounds up the immediate reaction to the new CPCF funding contract from pharmacy trade bodies, politicians, and the CPE negotiating team.